HOW TO STILL ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT RUINING YOUR NUTRITION
Casey Thomas R.D. | caseythomasrd@gmail.com
Today, I’m going to provide you several strategies that will allow you to still enjoy your holiday food without having it set you behind on your goals.
Even a bodybuilder with the strictest of diets can tolerate an indulgent meal 1x/month. For people like us, we can do it 1-2x/week while dieting and still be fine, as long as we are mindful about what we choose.
Here’s what I want you to do:
Strategy #1 – Don’t Skip
I know many people who skip their earlier meals before a holiday feast in an attempt to offset the calories they plan on eating. However, all this does is make you hungrier. Then you binge, and eat even MORE calories than if you hadn’t skipped your earlier meals.
My recommendation? Eat a hearty snack before – something like vegetables and hummus, an apple with nut butter, or a turkey roll-up.
Strategy #2 – Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Don’t post up next to the treat table or hang out in the kitchen! You know you’ll end up snacking.
Strategy #3 – No Liquid Calories
I know there’s going to be all sorts of liquid calories – juices, eggnogs, sodas, etc. (see next section for alcohol strategies) – and they are the most dangerous items. They provide zero nutrients, zero satiety, and the most calories. I’d rather you save the calories for your favorite dessert than chug a few sodas. At least the dessert will have some nutrients (however small). More importantly, solid desserts will also give you some satiety cues.
What’s so special about drinks anyway? You can get a Coke anytime, but you only get that signature dessert once a year!
Strategy #4 – Don’t Binge Drink
Binge drinking is not conducive for a long and healthful life. If you’re still doing it regularly, you need to grow up. Alcohol provides a whopping 7 kcal/g and is frequently paired with sugar. You’re basically ingesting a fluid that gets converted directly into fat (not to mention the other downsides, like suppressing your inhibitions and increasing your appetite).
The rule of thumb for drinking is this: if you felt it the next morning, you drank too much.
For those of you who need to be serious about your diet – don’t have more than two (for men) or one (for women) drinks on those occasions.
Pro Tips:
- Avoid mixed drinks and go for spirits. They have the fewest calories.
- Eat less fat if you plan on drinking. Alcohol suppresses fat metabolism, meaning the fat you eat becomes fat.
- Don’t train and drink alcohol on the same day – you will ruin your effort. You need quality nutrients post-training. Far better to train hungover than to drink after a tough session.
Strategy #5 – Make the Core of Your Meal Be Boiled/Steamed Vegetables and Lean Protein
Note: This strategy is for those of you who need to be really strict with your diet.
Be careful with your sauces and carbs if you decide to include them. Carbs are the toughest to gauge and have the most ‘sneaky’ calories added in.
Strategy #6 – Take a Break Before Seconds
I know the food was delicious. I know you want more.
Pace yourself.
Satiety cues can lag behind, especially when eating the hyper-palatable (i.e., very tasty) foods common to the holiday season.
My recommendation? Take 10-20 minutes after your first plate to give your body some time to realize it’s full. And if you still want seconds after that, go for it.
Strategy #7 – Don’t Be Afraid to Leave Food on the Plate
Listen to your body and don’t eat if you’re no longer hungry. Important note: ‘No longer hungry’ is very different from ‘food coma’!
And don’t worry about missing out – save leftovers.
Strategy #8 – Have a Good Support Network
People who diet without support from their loved ones fail. People who turn anti-social when they diet also fail.
You owe your support network honesty. Explain to them what you’re doing with your nutrition, and also tell them why you are doing it. Explain to them the importance of your goal.
But please keep in mind that relationships go both ways. While they should be supportive of you, you still need to be supportive of them. Ask them what they need from you to maintain a healthy relationship.
And please, please, please – don’t look down on them if they decide not to also follow your diet! YOU are the one who chose to go on this nutrition journey. Don’t act entitled.
The main goal when dieting should be to have the smallest negative impact on your friends and family.
Strategy #9: Food is Only One Part of Your Life
Nutritionists like to think nutrition is all there is to life. They push the ‘all-or-none’ mentality.
I disagree.
I believe it’s about being happy and being as healthy as you can be to do all the things you want to do in life.
Can I find any nutritional redemption in my Mom’s fresh baked cookies? Not really, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to turn one down when I’m visiting my family for a holiday.
I’m trading a bit of food quality for some happiness. I know it, and I don’t feel guilty about it.
You know what junk foods are. I don’t need to give you a list. You need to weigh your danger foods against what you want out of life, and if your danger foods are stopping you from getting what you want, then you definitely need to change something about them.
The main point I want to get across here is that you need to be intentional with your food. It should always serve a purpose. Is this meal chosen to be healthy for you? Great. Does it contain some junk items but was chosen for happiness? Still great. Doesn’t matter, as long as it was chosen.
Don’t be one of those people who has a cookie, feels guilty, falls off the wagon, and binges the entire weekend.
Instead – choose to have a cookie, feel happy, and move forward.
I like to say that the most important meal of your life is always the next one. You can’t do anything about your past meals. You’ll never meet a future meal. The only meal you’ll ever see is the next one. So be intentional with it.
There you have it. Try out some of these strategies this holiday season and let me know how it goes!
I want to close by saying that I know this year has been filled with a lot of ups and downs. I truly wish you the best and I hope this year’s holidays are filled with joy and happiness.